East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Lower Willingdon, East Sussex
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Lower Willingdon: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, in full view of your guests.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Milestone birthday parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Paella catering in Lower Willingdon
How our paella catering works in Lower Willingdon
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there is very little waste, and the food arrives hot. That is why it works for so many events. On the menu are paella Valenciana, black rice and vegetable paella, and we are regularly asked to cater festivals, fairs and school events and leaving dos and retirements.
There may be a hall or club near Lower Willingdon if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
- Where
- Lower Willingdon (BN20, BN22, BN26)
- County
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Places near Lower Willingdon
Also in Lower Willingdon
Lower Willingdon: your questions answered
Can you cook near the sea around Lower Willingdon?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Wilfrid?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
What seafood can we have?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Is paella enough as a main?
It is a full meal on its own. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Paella catering around Lower Willingdon
Lower Willingdon is about 2 miles north-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. For paella catering in Lower Willingdon, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Lower Willingdon. Lower Willingdon is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Lower Willingdon to Brighton (17 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Polegate station, about 0.9 miles north. Historic houses near Lower Willingdon include Alfriston Clergy House (4 miles west) and Michelham Priory (4 miles north-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. The South Downs National Park is within about 5 miles of Lower Willingdon. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. The coast is within about 4 miles of Lower Willingdon, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
We cater events across BN20, BN22 and BN26 and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Freshwater Square, Willingdon Court and The Triangle or a nearby road, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Willingdon (1 mile south-east), Wannock (1 mile north-west), Polegate (1 mile north), Filching (1 mile west) and Folkington (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Hastings (14 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (10 miles east), Seaford (7 miles west), Lewes (12 miles north-west), Hailsham (4 miles north) and St Leonards (14 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Burlough Castle (3.5 miles west) and Filching Manor And Motor Museum (1.2 miles west). The countryside around Lower Willingdon includes Combe Hill.
- Schools near Lower Willingdon include Willingdon Community School (within half a mile north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Wheatsheaf Inn (0.7 miles south)
Who books paella catering in Lower Willingdon?
There’s no kitchen needed, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Engagement and anniversary parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Wilfrid, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before you book anyone
- Who provides the crockery
- Space, access and power needs
- What happens if it rains
- How long the team stays
Live paella or other catering?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Lower Willingdon
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Fast service from the pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Where we can cook in Lower Willingdon
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Lower Willingdon
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Count adults and children separately
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we normally call guests over.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
How we price paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How many staff you need
- Whether you need crockery
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Anything your venue supplies
- The courses you’d like
- Where the event is
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you are ready to eat. In Lower Willingdon, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Lower Willingdon, and we will put together a menu and price.
Planning help
For event organisers in Lower Willingdon
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff